Aviation security experts and regulators have warned aircraft operators to maintain a high degree of vigilance over the intensifying military conflict in Israel, following attacks launched by Hamas forces early on Saturday. Late on Sunday, EASA issued a conflict zone information bulletin for the Tel Aviv flight information region, saying that the risks are currently being managed effectively by Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority through notams covering its airspace and airports, including one proposing Eilat-Ramon International Airport (LLER) as an alternate landing site outside the present conflict zone.
As of early afternoon local time on Monday, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport (LLBG) remained open. However, several international airlines have been canceling flights to Israel’s main gateway.
In an alert issued on Monday, the Ops Group, representing operators, pilots, dispatchers, and air traffic controllers issued the most blunt warning to date. Citing a high risk of civil aircraft being shot down, the group gave a "do not fly" warning.
"LLBG/Tel Aviv is still busy and it shouldn't be," said the Ops Group alert. "All lessons learned regarding civil operations in conflict zones over the last nine years since MH17 [the Malaysian Airlines aircraft shot down by Russia-backed fighters over Ukraine in 2014] need to be applied. The risk of a passenger aircraft becoming a casualty of war is high."
By Monday morning, Osprey Flight Solutions already issued five critical alerts to its security intelligence clients, which include numerous business aircraft operators. The first of these was issued on Saturday at 4:30 a.m. UTC, just an hour after the first rockets fired from Gaza hit targets in Israel. No international civil aviation agencies had previously issued any official notices or restrictions applying to flights in and out of Israel.
According to the company, its artificial intelligence-based anomaly detection process started identifying increased conventional military activity and “conflict zone dynamics” along the Israel-Gaza border on September 22. Around October 5 and 6, it identified increased activity in Syria, following Israeli air strikes against alleged Iranian-backed groups in Syria.
Dyami Security Intelligence expressed concern about the possibility of a two-front war breaking out in which the Israeli military would be in conflict with both Hamas forces in the south of the country and Hezbollah forces operating from Lebanon in the north. If that were to happen, the company indicated that Israel’s airspace could be closed for an indefinite period.
On Saturday, emergency sirens warning of possible missile attacks sounded at LLBG, but there were no impacts on or near the airport. According to Dyami, Israel’s sophisticated Iron Dome air defense system prioritizes protection for airports and other government buildings. While, in the company’s view this mitigates risks to aviation, a high number of missiles could overstretch the defenses.